Dating back to the nearly the beginning of last season, the George Mason High School varsity golf team has failed to relinquish a match, winning 18 in a row. Very few, however, can be considered as sweet as last Tuesday’s victory at second-place Clarke County, 177-182.

Although drama on the afternoon—the Mustangs squeaked past the Eagles by a mere five strokes—provided some excitement, it was the match implications that make it all the more better for the squad. With the victory, Mason clinched a second-straight Bull-Run District regular season championship, improving to 11-0 on the year.

The Mustangs were led by the trio of 44’s, as junior Drew Davies and Chris An, as well as sophomore Evans Mandes all tied for the match-low score to lead their team. Sophomore Michael Duning shot a 45 to round out the top four golfers for Mason.

Clarke County was led by sophomore D.J. Pyatt who shot a 44, while sophomore Kevin Wiseman (45), senior Kyle Seekford (45) and sophomore Scott Daisley (48) rounded out the scoring for the second place Eagles.

While the Mustangs have generally had little trouble dispatching District foes, last Thursday’s close match against Yorktown High School will go down as one of the main highlights in a season full of bright spots.

By barely squeaking by the Patriots by one stroke, Mason preserved their unblemished record, as An led his squad past AAA Yorktown, shooting a team-low of 43. Mandes, Duning, and senior Mike Straub contributed to the victory, shooting a 44, 45, and 46, respectively.

Ultimately, however, it was An who “saved” the Mustangs, as reigning Bull Run district coach of the year Bill Broderick put it. Yorktown nearly ended the Mustangs’ 17-match winning streak, as senior Christine Brown and sophomore Hunter Slade tied for a match-low score of 41.

The Mustangs will finish their regular season at Prince William Golf Course versus Manassas Park High School as they look to keep their record untainted and perfect this coming Tuesday at 4 p.m.